Stan Garnett to seek second term as Boulder County district attorney

Boulder County District Attorney Stan Garnett has announced his intention to seek a second term.

In a letter to supporters, Garnett listed what he considers the major accomplishments of his first term.

He said he's reinvigorated white-collar enforcement, stepped up "cold case" prosecutions, established an initiative to target crimes against members of immigrant communities, made animal cruelty cases a priority and reduced filings in juvenile court through expanded use of restorative justice.

Garnett said he has developed and maintained strong relationships with Boulder County law enforcement agencies and spoken out on statewide law enforcement issues, including serving on a panel to reform school discipline standards.

Garnett, 55, succeeded Mary Lacy as district attorney in 2008 after running unopposed. Lacy served eight years and left office because she was term-limited. In 2009, Boulder County voters narrowly approved a measure that allows district attorneys to seek a third term.

So far, no one else has filed papers with the Colorado Secretary of State's Office to run for district attorney in the 20th Judicial District this year.

A University of Colorado law school graduate, Garnett got his start as a prosecutor in Denver, then spent years in private practice doing commercial and real estate litigation. He served eight years on the Boulder Valley School District board.

Garnett, a Democrat, ran for state attorney general against Republican John Suthers in 2010 and lost.

Garnett said he has tried to be available to the public, and he considers the election an opportunity to have a conversation about the community's law enforcement priorities.

"I welcome debate about the direction of the office, and the election is an opportunity to have that debate," Garnett said today.

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